(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a walker device for aiding crippled or infirm persons to walk and to rise from a sitting position to a standing position.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A conventional walker comprises a frame including a plurality of generally upright legs. A crippled or infirm person using the walker holds hand rails located in the upper region of the frame as the person walks. After the person has taken several steps, the walker is lifted and moved forwardly to support the person during the next several steps taken. One type of conventional walker is made from lightweight aluminum tubing. The legs of the walker may be telescopic to enable the height to be adjusted and the walker may be collapsable to provide for its storage.
Many crippled or infirm persons find it quite difficult to rise from a sitting position to the standing position wherein the walker can be used. When an infirm person attempts to use a conventional walker, the person grasps the handrails and attempts to raise himself to the standing position. As the person pulls on the handrails, a conventional walker tends to pivot about the lower end portion of its rear legs, thus making it quite difficult for a person to rise and, in some instances, this instability may result in the person falling and being injured.
The problem of the instability of a walker when a person attempts to rise from a sitting position to a standing position is recognized in U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,258 to Wolferts. This patent discloses the use of a holder that is rigidly attached to a bed or some other object that holds the walker in place as a person rises to a standing position. Although the holder disclosed in the Wolferts patent appears to function adequately, such holder is only suitable for the specific piece of furniture to which it is attached. Another approach to aids for use in rising from a sitting position to a standing position is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,793 to Wilson. The Wilson patent discloses a device that has relatively long lower legs which are in contact with the floor which are said to provide stability for the aid when a person attempts to rise from a sitting position. Another device to assist aiding a person to rise from a sitting position to a standing position is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,668,723 to Bratton.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a walker that not only assists the person to walk, but also, assists the person in rising from a sitting position to a standing position. It is a further object of the invention to provide a simplified and lightweight walker achieving the aforementioned functions. It is a further object of the invention to provide a mechanism by which a conventional walker can be modified without extensive changes to provide a walker which assists a person to rise from a sitting position to a standing position. Other objects and advantages of the walker in accordance with the present invention will be apparent from the following description.